Defender ammunition...?

Sixfivesavage

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Mar 30, 2013
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Anyone ever use any? I started getting emails from them for some reason and haven't used or heard of them. Pricing seems good for 556 stuff, might give it a try but was curious of anyone has any experience with them.
 
I've used a couple hundred rounds of their 142gr SMK in 6.5CM. Accuracy and SD in my Tikka T3X TAC A1 is comparable to Hornady or Federal 140gr match rounds - e.g., pretty much everything shoots into 0.4 - 0.5 MOA @100 (5-round groups) when I do my part. The first hundred rounds were kinda slow - 2550fps measured by LabRadar chrono. Second hundred, a much more recent lot, averaged 2603. By comparison, the last lot of Hornady 140gr ELD Match ran 2656fps (early 2017-vintage lot).

I haven't shot much of their .223 out of my Wilde-chambered 1:8" twist AR. The rifle likes 75gr Hornady Steel Match as well as anything else I've tried through it; the Defender 69gr SMK ran 2625fps (18" barrel) and was similar in accuracy and SD.

Defender is based 90 minutes down the road from me; I've visited their showroom and see them at local shows. Good people.
 
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Update... I now have a .223 Tikka T3x Varmint in an MDT LSS-XL chassis. So far, the rifle really likes Defender's 69-grain SMK. Easily sub-half-MOA at 100, average velocity 2822fps. Best group 0.75 inches at 300 yards. I'm claiming more luck than skill because there was a fair crosswind and a lot of mirage.
 
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I like them because they are local, vets, and have gone out of their way to help me out a couple of times.

Their 77gn ammo will shoot 10-shot groups right around 1MoA from my AR which is really quite good. From my 18" barrel average MV is 2676fps, ES is 36fps, and SD is 11.7fps.

I have shot some of their 142gn ammo in a Tikka T3 TacA1 I won and it shoots well but is slow. Part of that is the throat on that gun is REALLY long but in general Defender rifle ammo is slow.
 
Defender 69gr SMK from my JP .223 20' yesterday.

I blew a great group with the 5th round at 100 yards. Knew it when I pulled the trigger. The 300 yard group was in heavy mirage. I get velocity of 2810 fps ES in the 30's.
 

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